Sask. voters share their thoughts as they hit the polls on election day

Election day has officially arrived in Saskatchewan, and many voters were eager to cast a ballot to help decide which party will govern the province for the next four years.

There has been a steady flow of voters at polling stations in Regina and Saskatoon, following record turnout in the advance voting period.

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Many voters said they see voting as both an obligation and a right, while others believe that they need to cast a vote in order to have a say in the conversation.

But was it tough for voters to decide which party to support this year?

James Schmalenberg, who cast his ballot in the Regina Lakeview riding, said it was a fairly easy decision.

“My wife is a teacher and my daughter is a teacher, so I know who I am  voting for,” Schmalenberg said.

Michele Tyndall agreed that it wasn’t a tough call.

“It was a clear decision,” she chuckled. “It’s like, do I like people or do I not like people? It was pretty straightforward.”

Meanwhile, Lani Knaus said she did some reading before deciding who she would cast a ballot for.

“After doing some research, I knew who I wanted to vote for,” she said.

Another voter, Rachel, said she believes everyone should participate in the democratic process.

“This is a time when we get to decide the policies we believe in and what policies we don’t. What is going to be better for ourselves, our family, and most importantly our communities?” she said.

“This is the time we get to participate in those decisions.”

Schmalenberg agreed that it’s important to cast a ballot.

“We are very blessed to live in Canada, and we have the right to vote so  you have to exercise your franchise,” he said.

Daron Sebelius said he believes that voting gives you the ability to share your opinions on the provincial government.

“If you don’t vote, you can’t complain,” he said. “If you don’t vote, then you have opted out of the system and you should just deal with whatever life  comes for you.”

Knaus agreed, noting that many people don’t have the chance to determine their own governments.

“There are a lot of people in the world that don’t have this great opportunity like we do,” she said.

Rosalund, another election-day voter, said the decision any of the province’s ridings could come down to one final vote.

“I understand why some people don’t want to vote. I guess they just kind of  give up or don’t care, but the way I think of it is if you don’t vote, your vote  might have made the difference to what you really wanted,” she explained.

Polls will be open until 8 p.m., and all ballots will be counted by hand following the final day of voting.